Initial Operation of the Udall Natural Area Regional Stormwater Quality Best Management Practice

The field of urban stormwater management has lead to an interest in urban stormwater runoff quality and practices to control stormwater runoff concentrations. Best Management Practices (BMPs) have been developed to improve the quality of stormwater runoff before it enters natural water bodies. Investigation of the stormwater quality enhancement characteristics of the newly constructed Udall Natural Area extended detention-constructed wetland BMP in Fort Collins, Colorado was conducted in an effort to understand start-up operation of BMPs. Overall, the Udall Natural Area appears to be significantly reducing constituent concentrations of total suspended solids, total nitrogen, total phosphorous, total copper, and total cadmium within urban storm runoff. Escherichia coli was also monitored with no significant change in concentration observed within urban storm runoff. This study also showed no statistical reduction in constituent concentrations during base-flow but rather suggested the possible increase of TSS and TP concentrations.